Phyllis+M.


 * SUMMARY: "Phyllis," age 46, died on April 22, 1910 from peritonitis and septic pneumonia brought on by an abortion perpetrated by a Chicago physician.**

"Phyllis," identified in the source document as "Mrs. M.," was 46 years old when she had an abortion performed by a physician in Chicago on or around April 4, 1910.

The abortion was followed by pain, fever, and hemorrhage. On April 18, about two weeks after the abortion, she was admitted to Cook County Hospital with a pulse of 102, respirations of 24, and fever of 102. She was in a stupor upon admission, with her tongue dry and furred. Her abdomen was distended and tender. Her liver was enlarged. The lower lobe of her right lung had sounds indicating the presence of fluid.

That evening, Phyllis became delirious and had to be restrained to her bed. Staff were unable to record a pulse for her, but her temperature had risen to 102.4 and her respirations were a racing 50 per minute.

Phyllis died on April 22 from peritonitis and septic pneumonia.

Source: "A Study Of and Deductions From Fifty Fatal Cases of Puerperal Fever," Dr. Herbert Marion Stowe, //Surgery Gynecology and Obstetrics//, 1912, and

Cook County death records show a married woman, age 46, named Dora Miller who died in Chicago on April 23, 1910. Dora, a native of Germany, was a homemaker.